Method of marking lump materials



J. A. CORMACK METHOD OF MARKING LUMP MATERIALS Aug. 15, 1939.

Original Filed March 22, 19:57

John BY INVENTOR. A. Cormack Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES JohnA. Cormack, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor of one-half to Carl W. Schuchardt,Milwaukee,

Wis.

Application March 22, 1937, Serial No. 132,341 Renewed June 25, 1938 7Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method of marking coal, crushedstone, or like lump materials for the purpose of identification.

Coal, crushed stone, and the like are ordinar- 5 ily sold in bulkwithout wrapping or packaging and are therefore difiicult ofidentification in ordinary channels of trade. Yet in. many instances itis important to the producer or processor of such goods, to thedistributor or retailer,

l and particularly to the consumer, that provision be made for readilydistinguishing the goods of one from like goods of another, because thedifference in quality of such goods from different sources or processedby different processes are in 15 many instances not readily apparent.

Efforts heretofore made to distinguish such materials by marking havenot proven satisfactory or commercially feasible, due not only todimculties encountered because of the physical 20 nature of the goods,but also because of the costs heretofore involved and the relatively lowprice at which such goods are ordinarily sold.

An object of the present invention is to provide an effective, yetinexpensive method of 25 marking coal and other like lump materials in amanner to afford ready and permanent identification of the mass andsegregated portions thereof throughout ordinary channels of trade. ThisI accomplish by applying, and preferably 30 adhesively fixing to themass, an identifying medium in strip form which, during subsequentshifting or handling of the mass, becomes torn into fragments anddistributed throughout the mass by natural movement of the lumps within35 the mass.

Other more specific objects and advantages will appear, expressed orimplied, from the following description of a novel method which I haveemployed in practicing the present inven- 40 tion.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of apparatus for applying anidentifying medium to coal in accordance with the present invention.

45 Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary face view of the identifying medium shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a View of a lump of coal with an identifying medium attachedthereto.

50 The method illustrated consists in affixing to a mass of coal one ormore strips ll! of paper or the like which is colored, printed, orotherwise marked to render the same distinctive. Each identifying stripis applied in a manner to cause 55 it to adhere to the individual lumpswith which PATENT OFFICE it contacts, and is preferably readily torn sothat natural movement between the lumps, during subsequent shifting orhandling of the mass, effects separation of the strip into fragments anddistribution of the latter throughout the mass. 5 In this instance eachstrip shown is perforated, as at H, to render it readily separable intoindividual labels [2.

In carrying out the method, the material is preferably conveyed, by anyappropriate means, past or below a suitable strip-applying apparatus.

In this instance the conveyor shown is in the form of an inclined chuteI3 which may constitute the breaker chute of a coal mine, a loadingchute, or the like; and the strip-applying apparatus shown includes astrip-applying roller l4 suspended above the chute and pressed bygravity or otherwise against the coal as the latter passes therebeneath.A plurality of strips ID are shown, each supplied from an appropriatesource, such as a roll l5, and each directed beneath the roller [4 intocontact with the coal. The roller 14 is preferably formed of softflexible material, such as soft rubber, so as to readily conform to theirregular contour presented by the lumps of coal and thereby effectintimate contact of the strips I0 against the coal.

An appropriate adhesive is preferably employed to secure the strips tothe coal. This adhesive may be applied in any desired manner. In themethod selected for illustration, the adhesive is applied to each strip,rather than to the coal, and for that purpose the strips 10 are shownpassing over an adhesive applying roller l6 mounted to dip into a gluepot I! in a conventional manner. In some instances, however, gummedstrips may be employed which are merely moistened by the roller I6.

As the coal moves past the roller 14, the strip I0 is applied to the topof the mass, and the adhesive causes it to adhere to some of theuppermost lumps of the mass. As the coal moves further, natural shiftingof the mass causes the strip ID to tear apart, leaving the fragments l2affixed to some of the lumps. By further movement of the coal, duringsubsequent handling, these marked lumps become mixed throughout themass, and serve to identify the mass or a portion thereof.

It is not contemplated that every fragment of the strip will remainattached to a lump of coal, nor that the fragments will adhere securelyto the lumps throughout their length; it is suflicient, however, thatsome of the fragments of the paper adhere to the coal lumps suflicientlyso that the identifying fragment will be carried with the lumpthroughout its subsequent handling. Nor is it contemplated that everylump of coal will carry a fragment of the strip; if in any given amountof coal there are a certain proportion of lumps carrying the identifyingfragments, it will be sufiicient to identify the mass.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the present inventionhereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificingthe advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of marking lump material which consists in applying adistinctive breakable medium to a mass of such material, afiixing saidmedium to a plurality of lumps contained in said mass, and separatingand distributing portions of said medium throughout said mass byrelative movement of said lumps within the mass.

2. The method of marking lump material which consists in applying adistinctive tearable strip to a mass of such material, adhesivelyafiixing said strip to a plurality of lumps contained in said mass, andseparating and distributing portions of said strip throughout said massby relative movement of said lumps within the mass.

3. The method of marking a mass of lump material which consists inadhesively affixing a distinctive strip to a plurality of lumpscontained in the mass, and separating said strip into fragments byrelative movement of said lumps with in the mass.

4. The method of marking a mass of lump material which consists inadhesively aflixing a distinctive perforated strip to a plurality oflumps contained in the mass, and separating said strip into fragments byrelative movement of the lumps within the mass.

5. The method of marking a mass of lump material which consists inadhesively aflixing portions of a distinctive strip at random to some ofthe lumps contained in said mass, and distributing portions of saidstrip throughout the mass by relative movement of lumps within the mass.

6. The method of marking lump material which consists in feeding adistinctive identifying sheet material onto a mass of such lumpmaterial, adhesively affixing portions of said sheet material to aplurality of lumps contained in said mass, and distributing portions ofsaid sheet material throughout said mass by relative movement of lumpswithin the mass.

'7. The method of marking lump material which consists in feedingdistinctive labels onto a mass of such lump material, adhesivelyafiixing said distinctive labels to a plurality of lumps contained insaid mass, and distributing said distinctive labels throughout said massby relative movement of lumps within the mass.

JOHN A. CORMACK.

